# How to use global.set in my case
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629
**Category:** General
**Created:** [25 June 2021 07:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629 "2021-06-25T07:59:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 07:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/1 "2021-06-25T07:59:37Z")
Hi there,
i like to use a function node to bring incomming messages to a global value.
Hard for me to discribe, as the problem seems to be very rare. Lets try:
My recent code:
var name = msg.channelName;
var status = msg.payload;
global.set('name', status)
return msg;
The "name" in the global.set context should be the var from above. And I have no idea how the right code shoud look like.
Any hints?
Best wishes
bibi
---
### Author:  [@haegar33](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/haegar33)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/2 "2021-06-25T08:03:47Z")
I don't see any problems here. If it stays that simple a normal "change" node would do the job too.
During testing be sure to refresh the display of globals on the right window. I had this stupid mistake once and where wondering about the status of my global variables.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/3 "2021-06-25T08:05:02Z")
> [@bibi-b](#):
>
> My recent code:
> var name = msg.channelName;
> var status = msg.payload;
> global.set('name', status)
> return msg;
>
> The "name" in the global.set context should be the var from above. And I have no idea how the right code shoud look like.
Remove the quotes...
```auto
var name = msg.channelName;
var status = msg.payload;
//global.set('name', status); // << wrong
global.set(name, status); // << correct
return msg;
```
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/4 "2021-06-25T08:08:00Z")
Changed to this:
var name = msg.channelName;
var status = msg.payload;
global.set(name, status);
return msg;
and getting this error:
Error: Invalid property expression: unexpected ' ' at position 10
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/5 "2021-06-25T08:09:28Z")
Change code to this...
```auto
var name = msg.channelName;
var status = msg.payload;
node.warn("name = " + name );
node.warn("status = " + status );
global.set(name, status);
return msg;
```
what do you see in debug side bar?
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/6 "2021-06-25T08:09:47Z")
oh stop. the "status" is sometimes boolean, sometimes a string (0 or 1). Maybe that ist why?
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/7 "2021-06-25T08:10:44Z")
> [@bibi-b](#):
>
> Maybe that ist why?
No, you can store bool/string/object/whatever in the global context.
It is the name that is important - it must be a non zero length string
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/8 "2021-06-25T08:11:51Z")
Maybe because of the spaces in name?
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/9 "2021-06-25T08:13:24Z")
> [@bibi-b](#):
>
> Maybe because of the spaces in name?
no, spaces are valid in the name.
Are you still getting an error? Have you checked the context data side bar panel? Have you presed the refresh button?
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/10 "2021-06-25T08:16:43Z")
> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> non zero length string
yes, i did. Can you see the screenshot i uploaded from the sidebar? if not:
name = Schlafzimmer Fenster
status = 1
name = Wohnzimmer links Tür
status = 0
... and so on. Seems to be correct.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/11 "2021-06-25T08:17:56Z")
> [@bibi-b](#):
>
> Seems to be correct
So it is working now?
Is there anything in the **context data** view like I showed
> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> 
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/12 "2021-06-25T08:19:27Z")
No ☹
Here is the second screen with the errors:
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/13 "2021-06-25T08:19:33Z")
> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> no, spaces are valid in the name.
I thought that too, but testing, even with a fixed string, does give an error
`global.set("some string", "test")`
gives the error that @bibi-b is seeing (but at position 4)
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/14 "2021-06-25T08:21:45Z")
Wow, could have sworn I tested that - you are right colin lol
@bibi-b you will have to remove spaces from the names OR use an object to store the values in then store the object.
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/15 "2021-06-25T08:24:17Z")
Thank you both!
Do you have a quick code i can insert in the function node to change spaces to an underscore \_ ?
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/16 "2021-06-25T08:27:34Z")
Try this instead first - you might find it preferable to having hundreds of top level global variables - especially if you want to deleted them all in one go...
```auto
const channelData = global.get("channelData") || {};
const name = msg.channelName;
const status = msg.payload;
channelData[name] = status;
global.set("channelData", channelData);
return msg;
```
---
### Author:  [@bibi-b](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bibi-b)
#### Post date: [25 June 2021 08:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/17 "2021-06-25T08:29:56Z")
> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> ```auto
> const channelData = global.get("channelData") || {};
> const name = msg.channelName;
> const status = msg.payload;
> channelData[name] = status;
> global.set("channelData", channelData);
> return msg;
>
> ```
Working perfectly. Thanks a lot for your time and help!
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [24 August 2021 08:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-use-global-set-in-my-case/47629/18 "2021-08-24T08:30:06Z")
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